


A lesson in trust

by Miishae



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, mcyt
Genre: Dealing With Trauma, Learning to trust, Manipulation, Sleepwalking, Talk of Mind Control, trust is a fragile thing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:08:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29541438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miishae/pseuds/Miishae
Summary: A bunch of loosely connected one-shots of Tommy and Ranboo bonding and learning to heal. More characters will eventually be added.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 31





	1. Chapter 1

“Hey, Tommy? Do you have a minute?” Ranboo’s voice is far shakier than he intends for it to be. He’s not nervous about meeting up with Tommy, not at all. It’s not like they have a rocky relationship and he doesn’t know what Tommy’s thinking all the time. It’s not like Tommy’s been cagey about his own plans or what he’d been up to. It’s not like he still holds some sort of charisma and charm that cause people to still flock around him.

Nothing like that, no.

“Sure, Ran _boob.”_ Tommy laughs at his own joke as he pauses in his actions. Something about gathering blackstone. Ranboo doesn’t want to question it, and he’s wondering if this meetup is even a good idea. “What can I help you with?”

“Er, if you’re busy, I can just…no. No I don’t want to keep eating up your time. I’m sure you’re very busy.”

“Not that busy. Mostly doing shit for Sam Nook. You heard of him? Sam Nook, he’s helping me build my hotel. Needy and clingy, if you ask me.”

Ranboo forces a grin, though he doesn’t see the humor. “Can I ask you to keep this between us?” He shifts his eyes from side to side, leaning closer and lowering his voice. He really doesn’t want to take the chance. “Because I don’t…I don’t want people thinking I’m weird, y’know?”

“Are you actually coming to _me_ for advice? Is it how to get women?” The grin on Tommy’s face is wide, full of innocence. Tommy deserves to look innocent, Ranboo thinks. He wishes he could have that same enthusiasm.

“I wish,” Ranboo says. “You…you were with Dream for awhile, right?”

The smile drops from Tommy’s face instantly. There’s no longer that same childlike innocence in his eyes. Tommy looks a lot older now, exhaustion and sadness replacing the warmer emotions. There are wrinkles in his forehead and faint bags under his eyes. This is _Tommy,_ the real one that he probably hides from everyone.

“What are you getting at, Ranboo?”

Even the warmth is gone from Tommy’s voice. Ranboo wonders if this is even a good idea, reminding Tommy of his own issues. He backs up a step, shaking his head. “No, like. Okay. Um. Have you ever had moments where you like. I dunno, like, blacked out, woken up somewhere else?”

Tommy doesn’t response. He’s tense, more tense than Ranboo ever remembers seeing him, completely stiff. There’s a distant expression in Tommy’s face, a brief moment where his eyes glaze over and he stares straight through Ranboo. He looks over his shoulder, wondering if he can see what Tommy sees.

“Yeah,” Tommy finally mutters. His voice is low, barely above a whisper. It sounds just as dreamy as his expression looks. “I used to wake up underwater in exile,” he continues. “I still can’t remember how that happened or why. It happened every day, and then Dream always came to visit.”

He seems to snap out of his trance then. Ranboo can see him snapping himself back to reality, with that subtle shake of his head, followed by rapid blinking. He’s not looking through Ranboo anymore, but looking at him again.

“Why? Is something happening with you? You’re not in contact with him, are you?”

Ranboo shakes his head. “It’s stupid, I shouldn’t have bothered you about this. I’m probably just stressed or something. I guess I just needed to know I wasn’t alone with this sleepwalking.”

There’s a new expression on Tommy’s face. Ranboo recognizes that look to be suspicion, and it fills him with dread. If there’s one thing he’s learned, it’s not to cross Tommy. He might be one of the youngest around, but he’s also incredibly sharp; Tommy doesn’t miss a whole lot. He especially doesn’t miss when people are lying to him, like Ranboo is doing _right now._

“If you say so. You know you can talk to me about anything if you need to, right? I _get it,_ man.”

“I know. Don’t worry Tommy, I’m being stupid. Everyone sleepwalks, don’t they?” He forces a laugh out as he backs up. He doesn’t like the way Tommy is still staring at him through narrowed eyes and thin lips. He really doesn’t like being mentally ripped apart by Tommy of all people.

“If you say so, big man,” Tommy finally says. “You’re right, people do sleepwalk, it does happen. I won’t keep you, you look like you’re in a hurry. Just remember, _I get it._ You can trust me.”

“Yeah, I know. Thanks Tommy. I’ll see you around, right?”

“Course man.”

Ranboo doesn’t bother saying ‘bye’ before he tridents out of there. His heart is thumping in his chest as he tridents back toward the nether portal. He knows he can trust Tommy. He knows that if he opened up to Tommy, they could bond over their weird memory gaps, or whatever influence Dream seems to have over both of them.

The sad thing is, he doesn’t trust Tommy. Ranboo barely even trusts _himself._ He doesn’t know why he can’t trust someone else, least of all Tommy, but there’s something far too vulnerable about placing his trust in the hands of someone else who’d been manipulated and used. Something that would no doubt lead to trouble for both of them.

No, it’s best if Ranboo doesn’t talk to Tommy anymore. If something’s happening to him, he’s not about to let Tommy get hurt either.


	2. Chapter 2

Pacing nervously in front of Tommy’s house is nerve wracking enough, where Ranboo feels like the eyes of the entire SMP are on him. It’s even more unnerving when Tommy is standing out front, staring at him through narrowed eyes.

The last time Ranboo had made an attempt at talking, he’d gotten scared and fled. This time, Ranboo actually wants to talk, but he feels like a complete idiot about it. He doesn’t like the way Tommy is staring at him, again, through narrowed eyes and a knowing expression on his face.

At least Tommy is smart enough to not say anything first.

Ranboo feels like he could make a game out of this. He could see how long it takes for one of them to break, he could turn this into a staring contest, he could do any number of things to drag this out, but he knows Tommy’s patience is short, and temper, even shorter. While Ranboo could drag this out, he doesn’t want to get on Tommy’s bad side. He knows the grudges Tommy is known to hold, and he’d rather avoid that if possible.

He forces himself to move closer.

“Can I help you Ranboo?” Tommy asks. He lifts his hand, where Ranboo can see a map. He briefly lets his mind wander, trying to figure out why Tommy has a map and what he plans on doing with it. He wonders if it’s a map to a mansion...no. No, Tommy wouldn’t have one of those. Maybe buried treasure?

“Why do you have a map?” Ranboo blurts. “What’s it for?”

“None of your business, it’s private.” Tommy doesn’t even sound angry or defensive. His tone is short all the same, and Ranboo flinches away. “That’s also not why you’re here, otherwise you wouldn’t have stood pacing outside of my home for ten minutes.”

“I just...need to talk.”

“It’s about Dream, isn’t it?”

Wow, Tommy really doesn’t beat around the bush, does he? Ranboo flinches back, feeling as though Tommy can see his innermost secrets and thoughts. It’s not the first time Tommy’s scrutinized him. He should expect this from someone who’s been through a similar situation, but it’s still uncomfortable to hear.

“Yeah, it’s about Dream.”

“It’s about you sleepwalking, isn’t it?” Tommy turns away, heading back into his house. He places his map in the enderchest stashed in the corner, then closes it. “Because it’s not a secret that you’re sleepwalking everywhere. Everyone’s seen it.”

“Yeah, but I’m certain it’s Dream causing it.” The more he says, the easier it’s starting to feel. He can trust Tommy, he hopes. Tommy understands, Tommy _knows._

“I reckon you’re right,” Tommy says. His tone is far too casual for something so serious, but then again, Tommy doesn’t deal with his issues very well. “Remember how I told you I used to wake up underwater?” 

“Yeah, I don’t...I don’t understand that. I don’t want to ask you to elaborate but-” 

“Come inside, please.” Tommy beckons him. Ranboo looks back over his shoulder, not seeing anyone close by. He follows Tommy though. Tommy blocks off the entrance with dirt before leading Ranboo into the back room and closing the door. “Ranboo, I used to think it was me just sleepwalking, but I don’t normally do that. Because in exile, I never slept well, unless it was to wake up underwater. It can’t be a coincidence, especially since Dream was the only person I ever saw. Now you’re sleepwalking everywhere.”

Ranboo nods. “I’m digging something, or somewhere. I don’t know what I’m doing, and I wake up in the weirdest locations. People’ve said I speak in a different language, too. Honestly? I’m a little freaked out over this. I want my mind to be my own. I want to know that when I go to sleep, I stay in my own home.”

Tommy nods at that, leaning against the table and resting his chin in his hands. “So why come to me about this? I don’t know how to help you, and even if I did, I don’t know if I trust you.”

This feels like a blow. Ranboo had been so caught up in his own emotions about having someone to relate to, he’d forgotten that Tommy had been through hell and back. It’s natural that his faith in people would be shaken, though it still stings. He still trusts Tommy, how Tommy feels about him doesn’t change that.

“I know,” Ranboo says quietly. “You’ve been through a lot-” 

“Not about that, dickhead.” Tommy’s teeth are clenched. “You’re living with Techno, idiot. Did you not remember what he did?”

Oh, right. He had completely forgotten the complex relationship between Techno and Tommy. Ranboo still can’t tell if he’s a replacement or an actual friend, and he can’t tell if Tommy is legitimately angry or jealous. He doesn’t want to know in either case.

“I didn’t come to talk to you about Techno.” He gently tries to redirect the conversation back to the original point. “I came to talk to you about Dream.”

“Dream’s a wrongin’.” The response seems immediate, instinctive, _robotic._ Ranboo doesn’t like hearing it, because it’s all Tommy really has to say about the entity. 

“Anything else I should know about him?”

“Everything’s fine. He’s in jail, things in the server are looking up, my hotel’s been built. The asshole’s where he belongs, I’m fine.”

“Except for the part where we’re talking about me, and how he’s still controlling me, from jail.” It’s Ranboo’s turn to narrow his eyes. He can’t blame Tommy, not completely. It’s easy to tell Tommy’s still frazzled.

“Just say _‘no Dream, I don’t like you like that’,_ when you dream. He’ll back off and realize that fucking with minors isn’t cool. And you can totally control your dreams, before you say anything. Just have someone help you go to sleep, and when you start dreaming, just punch yourself in the face and you’ll be a god.”

Ranboo almost wants to write this off as classic ramblings, but...the logic almost makes sense. Lifting a brow, he leans forward. “I think you’re onto something here.”

“No I’m not, why are you listening to me? Why are you in my house?”

“You just told me to lucid dream. You literally just told me to use psychology on myself to confront Dream.” Ranboo smiles. “I think I know how we can do that.”

“What are you on about Ranboo?”

He smiles mysteriously and gets to his feet. Before leaving, he grabs one of Tommy’s hands and yanks him out of his chair. “We’re going to find someone who knows how psychology works, Tommy. We’re going to get to the bottom of this.”

“Let me repeat myself: _what the fuck are you on about?”_

“You’ll see.” Ranboo hums as he leads Tommy down the prime path. Word on the streets is there’s a new therapist in town, and he’s going to book the first two appointments. 

This is going to be fun.


End file.
